Most of us want what we can’t have. We have this yearning to possess things that we can’t reach. We all have different reasons for this strong desire. One, in particular, is that we believe that it could make us happy and satisfied. To give you a better view, here are some of the reasons people always want what they can’t have.
The Scarcity Effect
We yearn for something we can’t have because of the scarcity effect. This effect is connected to our survival instinct. To explain further, our brain is programmed to think more if we notice a rare object or something that is not abundant. Because that thing is rare, we often think it is more valuable. As a result, our control and decision-making skills are diminished by our craving for something rare or valuable.
Comparing Your Life to Others
One of the common reasons people always want what they can’t have is due to comparison. Usually, we compare our lives with other people, leading to jealousy. To be specific, we want things that others have because we believe that they will make us feel good and worthy. Unfortunately, this may negatively affect our self-esteem. Remember, when you compare your life to others, you end up chasing things that you think you should have. However, in reality, you don’t need most of these objects. You just want them to feel more adequate.
The Dopamine Hit
Finally, the last on this list of reasons people always want what they can’t have is due to the brain chemical known as dopamine. As you know, this brain chemical is one of the so-called happy hormones. The reason is that when your brain releases it, you feel good. Unfortunately, this feeling can be addictive. As such, you need to have that object to feel good. Unfortunately, the cause of your dopamine hit will not be available all the time. In most cases, it is available, but you can’t have it. As a result, you will have a strong desire to have what you can’t have.
As presented, these are some of the reasons people want what they can’t have. Always remember that this strong desire or yearning is common, and people from all walks of life experience it. As such, it is normal to want something you can’t have. However, you can fight the urge to buy something you don’t need because most of these objects will not make you happy in reality.
